Bible Verses to Pray for Your Pastor

In this week’s Free Lance-Star column, I shared about the importance of praying for our church leadership, especially our pastors on a regular basis.

Sometimes it can be difficult to know exactly what to pray. I have found that the best thing to do in that situation is to pray God’s Word back to him.

Pray for Protection from Satan:

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

Lord, please protect my pastor from the attacks of the enemy. Enable him to be sober-minded and watchful against all the temptations and traps that Satan lays before him.

Pray for Protection from His Own Sinful Heart:

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:14-15)

Lord, please protect my pastor from the sin that tempts to destroy him. Keep his desires focused on the things of Your Kingdom and not the sins that lead to death.

For Deep Spiritual Encouragement:

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. (Romans 1:11-12)

Lord, please encourage and strengthen my pastor as he dedicates his life to serving You and Your people. Allow him to see the fruits of his labor. Bring tangible gratitude, encouragement, and thanksgiving for his service into his life daily.

For Wisdom:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5)

Lord, grant my pastor the wisdom to rightly handle the Word of God. Guide him as he prepares his sermons to the topics and passages we need to hear. Give him wisdom to provide sound counsel to those seeking help with their lives. Also grant him the wisdom he needs to lead the day-to-day aspects of the church.

For A Strong Marriage and Family:

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church (1 Timothy 3:2-6)

Lord, protect my pastor’s marriage. Give him and his wife a deep spiritual connection and clarity of mutual purpose. Allow them to have sweet moments of romance that will strengthen their bond with one another. Draw his children towards you and protect them from the temptations of this world.

Charles Spurgeon, theologian and pastor, once said, “No one can do a truer kindness in this world than to pray for me.” I believe that is a sentiment shared by all pastors serving in our churches today.